Dozens of police officers and citizens looking to support Special Olympics will hit the streets tomorrow morning for a competition with a cause.
The Seventh Annual Dean/Williams 5K Run and Healthwalk begins at 8 a.m. tomorrow but not without the officers and runners stopping to remember officers Ron Dean Jr. and Dwayne Williams, both Special Olympics supporters who were killed in the line of duty.
A special memorial service will take place for them preceding the run at 7:45 a.m. at the Police and Fire Memorial on Clyde Fant Parkway (next to the Barnwell Center).
The event features a competitive 5K run that includes prizes for various age categories and a 5K Fun Run/Walk for those who want to participate on a more casual level. Both runs take place at Lake Street and Clyde Fant Parkway. The course extends down the parkway to Stoner Park and then returns to downtown.
More than 200 people are expected to participate, and the event already has raised more than $5,000 for Special Olympics. Last year, more than $35,000 was donated from various Northwest Louisiana law enforcement agencies for the charity’s Special Olympic games to be held in Hammond, La., next month.
Anyone can participate, even if they have not pre-registered. The entry fee is $15.